Jan. 30: Book Signing to Precede Mark Weber Lecture

Terminally ill alum to sign books at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Mankato, Minn. – Lt. Col. Mark Weber, a 1994 graduate of Minnesota State University, Mankato and 23-year Army veteran who is in the latter stages of terminal cancer, will be signing copies of his book, “Tell My Sons,” at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 30 outside the Centennial Student Union Ballroom.

The book signing will precede Weber’s lecture and a Q&A at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 30 in the Centennial Student Union Ballroom. In his lecture, Weber will discuss how one’s strength, growth and inspiration for living comes through adversity.

The event is open to the public, and more than 400 free tickets to the event have already been distributed. Advance tickets can be picked up on campus at the front desk in Student Activities (CSU 173) and off campus at the Customer Service Counters at both Riverfront Cub Foods and Madison Cub Foods. Any remaining tickets will be available at the door. For more information, please call 507-389-5205.

Weber has already inspired thousands of people with his passion, energy and uncanny humor. Anyone familiar with Randy Pausch’s national sensation, the “Last Lecture,” will not want to miss this event, because Weber’s story is poised to do the same thing.

This past summer, the 41-year old Weber wrote and self-published a book, “Tell My Sons,” which he wrote for his three young sons using a message of empowerment, encouragement and perspective. The book features a foreword by comedian Robin Williams and has received exceptional reviews from Mitch Albom, international bestselling author of “Tuesdays with Morrie”; former U.S. Vice President Walter Mondale; John Elway, two-time Super Bowl champion quarterback; Gen. Martin Dempsey, 18th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; and many others. (Previews of each chapter are available at www.tellmysons.com.) More than 2,000 advance copies were sold by the time the book came off the press, an unprecedented feat for a self-published author.

With his cancer now at an advanced stage, Weber says his goal for this free lecture is to help his alma mater by sharing the same message of empowerment, encouragement and perspective to Minnesota State Mankato students, faculty, staff and the Mankato community.

Mark Weber, a native of St. Paul, Minn., graduated from Cretin High School and was admitted into Minnesota State Mankato in a probationary academic status before graduating with honors from the university in 1994. He went on to a successful active duty Army career, receiving the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star and the Combat Action Badge, among numerous others.

In 2004, Weber received Minnesota State Mankato’s “Young Alumni Award” during the university’s annual Distinguished Alumni Award banquet, and in 2009 he was recognized nationally as one of the best officer recruiters in the country.

While preparing in 2010 for a deployment to Afghanistan to work on the personal staff of General David Petraeus, Weber was diagnosed with Stage IV gastrointestinal cancer.

Weber’s visit to campus is sponsored by the Minnesota State Mankato Veterans Club and the Non Traditional Student Advisory Board, which are both recognized student organizations on campus.

Minnesota State Mankato, a comprehensive university with 15,413 students, is part of the Minnesota State Colleges & Universities system, which comprises 31 state institutions.